What is the greatest ever opening line?

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And I'm talking about the first line of the first track of the first album. (we'll forget singles prior to the first album in order to simplify things)

― Thomas J. Newton, Wednesday, 16 November 2005 17:57 (twenty years ago)

Ice baby, I saw your girlfriend and she's eating her fingers like they're just another meal.

Pavement--Summer Babe

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Wednesday, 16 November 2005 18:01 (twenty years ago)

Lord, see that girl?

― detoxyDancer (sexyDancer), Wednesday, 16 November 2005 18:03 (twenty years ago)

Let's not go home, we'll catch the late train I've got enough money to pay all the way/ When the postman calls, he'll deliver the letter
I've explained everything; it's better that way

pet shop boys 'please'

― piscesboy, Wednesday, 16 November 2005 18:12 (twenty years ago)

"the trumpet scatters its awful sound,
over the graves of all lands,
summoning all before the throne.
Death and mankind shall be stunned,
when nature arises,
to give a count before the judge."

okay, i know what you are thinking. my response is: and...?

― chundra livy (chundra livy), Wednesday, 16 November 2005 18:25 (twenty years ago)

Jesus died for somebody's sins but not mine.

― alex in mainhattan (alex63), Wednesday, 16 November 2005 18:30 (twenty years ago)

My smile is stuck
I can not go back to your Frownland.

― Tripmaker (SDWitzm), Wednesday, 16 November 2005 18:33 (twenty years ago)

"Suckin' on my titties like you wanted me" - Peaches

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Wednesday, 16 November 2005 18:43 (twenty years ago)

alex in mainhattan OTM

― xero (xero), Wednesday, 16 November 2005 18:44 (twenty years ago)

1,2,3,4
WELL, SHE WAS JUST 17, IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN
AND THE WAY SHE LOOKED WAS WAY BEYOND COMPARE!

― petesmith (plsmith), Wednesday, 16 November 2005 19:07 (twenty years ago)

"In 1984 I was hospitalized for approaching perfection."

"Bass! How low can you go?"

― A|ex P@reene (Pareene), Wednesday, 16 November 2005 19:08 (twenty years ago)

Oh I didn't see the 'first album' in the initial post. Scratch mine.

― Tripmaker (SDWitzm), Wednesday, 16 November 2005 19:09 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, that does make it a bit trickier.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 16 November 2005 19:10 (twenty years ago)

I Still Believe in God, but God No Longer Believes in Me.....

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 16 November 2005 19:11 (twenty years ago)

Now that your picture's in the paper being rhythmically admired

― The Obligatory Sourpuss (Begs2Differ), Wednesday, 16 November 2005 19:15 (twenty years ago)

guys, you are high if you think theres something better than that beatles line.

― petesmith (plsmith), Wednesday, 16 November 2005 19:16 (twenty years ago)

beatles schmeatles

― The Obligatory Sourpuss (Begs2Differ), Wednesday, 16 November 2005 19:18 (twenty years ago)

What's so razzamatazz about that Beatles line? I mean, fuck that noise.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 16 November 2005 19:21 (twenty years ago)

too easy... "I wanna destroy you"

― par, Wednesday, 16 November 2005 19:24 (twenty years ago)

yeah yeah yeah yeah y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-yeah!
got an urge got a surge and it's out of control

― dumdum, Wednesday, 16 November 2005 20:16 (twenty years ago)

I'm a street walking cheetah with a heart full of napalm

― D.I.Y. U.N.K.L.E. (dave225.3), Wednesday, 16 November 2005 20:25 (twenty years ago)

forgot some others:
"Right noise."
"We are Northern white crap that talks back"

― D.I.Y. U.N.K.L.E. (dave225.3), Wednesday, 16 November 2005 20:32 (twenty years ago)

MY RADIO BELIEVE ME I LIKE IT LOUD

― The Obligatory Sourpuss (Begs2Differ), Wednesday, 16 November 2005 20:34 (twenty years ago)

He's in love with rock 'n roll whoah

― Pete Scholtes, Wednesday, 16 November 2005 20:40 (twenty years ago)

why don't you be good for something and pull down the shade

― kyle (akmonday), Wednesday, 16 November 2005 20:42 (twenty years ago)

alex - that beatles line (and most of the beatles pre-1965 stuff) is the best distillation of "feelings of excitement" into music that SOUNDS exciting and excited. thats the best i can manage.

― petesmith (plsmith), Wednesday, 16 November 2005 20:50 (twenty years ago)

Others here:

Best opening lines

Best first line of an album?

― Mark (MarkR), Wednesday, 16 November 2005 20:50 (twenty years ago)

"hey you, this is they heavy heavy monster sound .. "

sometimes childhood faves are sometimes hard to shake off

― mark e (mark e), Wednesday, 16 November 2005 20:51 (twenty years ago)

always at the foot of the photograph
that's me there, snug as a thug in a mugshot pose

― ailsa (ailsa), Wednesday, 16 November 2005 20:52 (twenty years ago)

Alternative answer:

It's happy hour again
I think I might be happy if I wasn't out with them

― ailsa (ailsa), Wednesday, 16 November 2005 20:57 (twenty years ago)

"There's a time to FUCK and a time to CRAVE, BUT THE SHAH SLEEPS IN LEE HARVEY'S GRAVE!!!!"

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Wednesday, 16 November 2005 21:07 (twenty years ago)

"Darling...I love you VERY VERY VERY much..."

-Paul McCartney
"Press"

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 16 November 2005 21:13 (twenty years ago)

I'm a street walking cheetah with a heart full of napalm

First albums please!

― Edward III (edward iii), Wednesday, 16 November 2005 21:26 (twenty years ago)

"BASS, how low can you GO?!"

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 16 November 2005 21:32 (twenty years ago)

"Come up to my lighthouse for I have something I wish to say"

(teenage sexual frustration summed up in one coy, hesitant innuendo)

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Wednesday, 16 November 2005 21:33 (twenty years ago)

"BASS, how low can you GO?!"

Hmm, still not first album, if you're quoting "Bring The Noise".

― Edward III (edward iii), Wednesday, 16 November 2005 21:44 (twenty years ago)

Sorry - misread the question.

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 16 November 2005 21:45 (twenty years ago)

The Beatles one is great, the count-in mainly. As a statement of purpose for the band's then-foreseeable career it pretty much nails it.

"Suspicion yourself, suspicion yourself, don't get caught."

― Doctor Casino, Thursday, 17 November 2005 00:37 (twenty years ago)

STUCK A PIN IN YOUR BACKBONE

― cutty (mcutt), Thursday, 17 November 2005 00:42 (twenty years ago)

"I ain't no joke. I used to let the mic smoke. Now I slam it when I'm done and make sure it's broke."

― Douglas (Douglas), Thursday, 17 November 2005 01:05 (twenty years ago)

"You're gonna wake up one morning, when the sun greets the dawn. . ."

― JAS, Thursday, 17 November 2005 01:10 (twenty years ago)

Now that I actually understand the rules...

"1 2 3 4 5 6 Roadrunner roadrunner!"
Modern Lovers

"Coool Britannia, Britannia you are cool"
Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band

"Woke up in the '20s, there were flappers and fruits in white suits"
Hold Steady

― A|ex P@reene (Pareene), Thursday, 17 November 2005 02:38 (twenty years ago)

"Ice baby, I saw your girlfriend and she's eating her fingers like they're just another meal."

The second I read the thread title, this immdiately sprang to mind.

― J-rock (Julien Sandiford), Thursday, 17 November 2005 02:48 (twenty years ago)

"Straight outta Compton, crazy motherfucker named Ice Cube
From the gang called Niggaz With Attitudes
When I'm called off, I got a sawed off
Squeeze the trigger, and bodies are hauled off."

― J-rock (Julien Sandiford), Thursday, 17 November 2005 02:53 (twenty years ago)

I don't want a holiday in the sun
I wanna go to the new Belsen

or Sonic Youth...

I'm not afraid to say I'm scared

― sleeve (sleeve), Thursday, 17 November 2005 05:44 (twenty years ago)

GHOSTFACE, Catch the blast of my hype verse
my glock burst, leaving a hearse, I done worse

― tylero (tylero), Thursday, 17 November 2005 08:48 (twenty years ago)

"Darling...I love you VERY VERY VERY much..."
-Paul McCartney
"Press"
-- Alfred Soto (sotoal...), November 16th, 2005.
that's on side 2 - side 1 first song - "stranglehold"
"can i get you to give me a minute of your time"
###########################################################
george michael "faith" - "faith"
"well i guess it would be nice"
###########################################################
michael jackson "bad" - "bad"
"your butt is mine" (it was better in 1987)
##########################################################
beatles "sgt peppers's lovely hearts club band"
"it was 20 years ago today"
##########################################################

― retroboy, Thursday, 17 November 2005 09:58 (twenty years ago)

GHOSTFACE, Catch the blast of my hype verse
my glock burst, leaving a hearse, I done worse

Ah, but this preceded by Bring the motherfucking ruckus!, no? Which in itself isn't a bad opening line either.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Thursday, 17 November 2005 14:05 (twenty years ago)

Maybe not the greatest ever, but pretty good:

"Inshallah"
- MIA, Arular

― o. nate (onate), Thursday, 17 November 2005 15:01 (twenty years ago)

'JOY! you better watch that!!!'-mclusky-my pain and sadness-"joy"

― eedd, Thursday, 17 November 2005 15:08 (twenty years ago)

"Oh! My Lover! Don't you know it's alright!
You can love her, you can love me at the same time"

― mark grout (mark grout), Thursday, 17 November 2005 15:21 (twenty years ago)

"I'm going to beat you up at the end of this song."

― tipustiger, Thursday, 17 November 2005 15:26 (twenty years ago)

God money I'll do anything for you

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 17 November 2005 15:28 (twenty years ago)

As a statement of intent:

"Hey! Ho! Let's go!"

― harvey.w (harvey.w), Thursday, 17 November 2005 15:50 (twenty years ago)

"Hooked up on a fishing line,
lookin' for the break of day,
I've never been here before anyway
it's the wine in my feet that's to blame."
- John Cale

― Hatch (Hatch), Thursday, 17 November 2005 15:54 (twenty years ago)

"Well I Just Don't Know Where to Begin"

Elvis Costello & The Attractions - "Accidents Will Happen"

― Voodoo Child, Thursday, 17 November 2005 15:57 (twenty years ago)

When I saw this thread title I immediately thought of the same line as Alex in Mainhattan.

― Colonel Poo (Colonel Poo), Thursday, 17 November 2005 16:07 (twenty years ago)

Is no one but me getting the "first album" part of this question?

― Doctor Casino, Thursday, 17 November 2005 16:18 (twenty years ago)

I did.

― mark grout (mark grout), Thursday, 17 November 2005 16:23 (twenty years ago)

It seems like most people are.

― o. nate (onate), Thursday, 17 November 2005 16:23 (twenty years ago)

Is no one but me getting the "greatest" part of this question?

― petesmith (plsmith), Thursday, 17 November 2005 16:24 (twenty years ago)

"Það var i Næturlestinni i Kairo
Það sem ég hitti arabadreng"

― Collardio Gelatinous (collardio), Thursday, 17 November 2005 20:44 (twenty years ago)

"What I want, I want now"
Television

"Our own correspondent is sorry to tell of an uneasy time, that all is not well"
Wire

And though it technically doesn't count because it came on album 4, Jason Isbell marks his debut with the Drive-By Truckers with:

"You want to grow up and paint houses like me?"

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Thursday, 17 November 2005 20:54 (twenty years ago)

Worst opening line: "Kanye, can I talk to you for a second?"

― Eppy (Eppy), Thursday, 17 November 2005 21:03 (twenty years ago)

"I live my life like there's no tomorrow" - Van Halen

"What is this that stands before me/figure in black which points at me" - Black Sabbath

― John Fredland (jfredland), Thursday, 17 November 2005 21:59 (twenty years ago)

"There's a shit storm a coming, and I feel it coming soon" - Midnight Oil

― Poppy (poppy), Friday, 18 November 2005 01:47 (twenty years ago)

"If I could fuck a mountain, then I would fuck a mountain." - Palace Music

― giboyeux (skowly), Friday, 18 November 2005 01:58 (twenty years ago)

"Welcome to the lonesome world of Abel, where every brother's knife is set to slay you" - Sunny Day Real Estate

― mayhaps (mayhaps), Friday, 18 November 2005 03:31 (twenty years ago)

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